1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to shoes and, more particularly, to shoes that have a heel attached thereto.
Both men and women often wear shoes with heels attached. When the heel is sufficiently long, the shoe is referred to as a “high heel” shoe or as a “high heeled” shoe. The terms are used interchangeably herein. High heel shoes are typically worn by women, though not exclusively.
There are many style variations of high heel shoes that include a pumps, T-straps, sling-backs, one-bars, and casual styles. Also, certain boot styles may include a high heel or a shorter height type of heel and whenever the term “shoe” is used herein it is intended to also include boots. Numerous other styles of shoes (or boots) other than those mentioned herein may also include a heel and benefit from the instant invention which is adapted for use with heels that range from very low (little height) to those that are very high (a great deal of lift).
Although the instant invention can be used with heeled shoes that are worn by either men or women, the following discussion focuses, in particular, on the needs of women. However, certain of these needs also apply to heeled shoes or boots that are worn by men. Accordingly, the invention is adapted for inclusion (i.e., for use) with heeled shoes that are used by either gender and of any style.
A heel elevates the woman making her appear to be taller than she really is. In our society and in many other societies a taller appearance for a woman is often preferred. Accordingly, it is common to see women in high-heel shoes at dinners, shows, and especially at gala events.
Often, when about the town the attire and finery that is worn will be formal, elegant, or in some other way fashionable. In our society it is common for women to feel especially beautiful and attractive when dressed in “heels” and wearing a flattering dress or a fashionable evening gown. Apparently, many men also share similar views and find that a woman wearing heels, fashionable attire, and finery to be especially attractive.
For these and other reasons, women tend to wear heel shoes and, in particular, high heeled shoes. However, high heeled shoes tend to be uncomfortable to wear, especially for extended periods of time. This is because many high heel shoes tend to crowd the toes and other parts of the feet into a limited space so as to provide an attractive contour to the shoe. This can cause chafing, irritation, and even blisters to form.
Additionally, the height of the heel changes the way that the load (i.e., the weight of the body) is distributed to the foot causing the ball of the foot to bear an increasing and disproportionate amount of the total weight of the body. The higher the heel the more exaggerated this effect becomes. This can result in a tiring of certain of the muscles causing weariness and fatigue. Stretching of ligaments and tendons may also occur. After protracted wearing of high heeled shoes may women experience some form of foot, ankle, or leg pain and discomfort.
Even so, many women are willing to wear high heel shoes for extended periods of time and to endure the weariness and discomfort including the risk of acute pain in order to look and feel especially beautiful.
Sometimes, women will wear more comfortable shoes while in transit to an event or social gathering and change into the more attractive heeled or high heeled shoes immediately prior to the event or gathering. At the conclusion of the event or gathering they will quickly slip out of the heeled shoes and back into the more comfortable shoes for the return trip home.
It is a shared experience among many women that, because of the discomfort and pain that comes from wearing heeled shoes for extended periods of time, they can hardly wait to shed the more attractive heeled shoes in favor of donning a more comfortable pair of shoes at the earliest possible opportunity.
However, often the woman is unable to bring another pair of shoes along with her. If she is being escorted either by automobile, public transit, or by walking it is not practical for her to wear a second, more comfortable pair of shoes, while storing the larger heeled shoes in perhaps, a tiny fashionable purse.
Also, while she is being escorted, the woman is likely to want to present her most attractive appearance and that would generally include her wearing high heeled shoes. In situations where the transport of a second pair of shoes is neither possible nor practical or if she is being escorted, a woman is apt to wear the less comfortable high heeled shoes.
It generally matters little how uncomfortable high heeled shoes may be to wear for extended periods of time when the woman believes that she, in order to appear most attractive, must continue to wear the heeled shoes. Consequently, she is apt to wear high heeled shoes and endure discomfort until she again arrives at home and is able to remove the high heeled shoes and don a more comfortable pair of shoes.
Accordingly, there is a need for a heeled shoe that can be worn with the heel, regardless of its height, during events and social gatherings but which can be readily converted into a more comfortable, but still highly fashionable shoe. Similarly, there is a need for a heeled shoe that can be worn during transit to and from an event or other type of social gathering.
Another problem women face concerns the height of the heel. This is influenced by the dress or gown or other attire that the woman is wearing. Certain garments look and fit generally better when worn with shoes that have an especially high heel. Other garments look and fit generally better when worn with shoes that have a mid-height heel. Still, other garments look and fit generally better when worn with shoes that have an especially low heel or no heel at all.
The style and color of a particular pair of shoes may go especially well with a particular dress or gown that is to be worn or with the total outfit that is to be worn. The woman may very much desire to wear that pair of shoes with the dress or gown only to discover that the height of the heel is not acceptable for the outfit that is being worn. This, therefore, prohibits the wearing of that particular pair of shoes with that particular outfit. The woman may feel loss or sadness in not being able to wear the pair of shoes that she would prefer because the height of the heel is incorrect.
Accordingly, there is a need for a heeled shoe that can be readily adapted for use with heels of different height, thereby permitting a wearer to change the height of the heel to optimize the appearance of the shoes with any given attire that is to be worn.
A further difficulty that women encounter is matching the color of their shoes with that of the outfit that is being worn. It is generally desirable to match the shoe color or to match an accent color that may be included on the shoes with a similar color that appears on some part of the outfit (attire) that is being worn. Exactly what is being matched and how much of a color match (in area) is required in order to create the desired appearance is a variable that depends on many factors. Generally, the woman will decide what “works” for any given ensemble that is being worn. However, at least some color matching is usually required to tie various articles of clothing or finery together.
Often the amount or total area of color matching that needs to take place is minimal in order for the shoes to “tie into” the ensemble. For example, if an accent color on a pair of shoes is small in area but matches with the color of any garment that is being worn or with any accent piece that the woman is wearing, such as a hat, scarf, designer label, article of jewelry, or other finery the resulting small color coordination may be sufficient to connect the shoes with the overall outfit and create an appearance and perhaps a striking appearance that is desired.
Alternately, there may be times when a woman will want to have an accent color on her shoes match with the primary color of a garment and not with an accent color that may appear on the garment. The entire garment may be of the primary color and not include any accent color. The woman may desire that an accent color in the shoes match the primary color of the garment in order to tie both articles together, and thereby legitimize the appearance of the shoes or the garment.
Even if the overall appearance of the heeled shoes is acceptable and even if height of the heels is ideal for the outfit that is being worn, the heeled shoes may still not coordinate with any part of the outfit (ensemble) that is being worn. When the shoes do not properly coordinate they are said to “not go” with the outfit and it is likely that the shoes will not be worn with the outfit. If shoes that do not coordinate are worn (for whatever reason) then there is risk that the overall appearance of the outfit will be less than ideal.
Accordingly, there is a need for a heeled shoe that can be adapted to color-coordinate with at least some article of an overall ensemble or outfit.
Accordingly, a woman has a need to be able to change either the height of the heel or its color, or both in order to coordinate the appearance of the shoes with an outfit. Additionally, there is a need that this be accomplished quickly and easily.
Furthermore, there is a need to be able to secure a heel in place on the shoe and not have it become loose or dislodge unintentionally. If the heel were to loosen or dislodge at random and without the conscious intent and action by the wearer there is a possibility that the wearer could trip or fall and experience personal injury.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a detachable heel system that helps to ameliorate the above-mentioned problems and difficulties as well as ameliorate those additional problems and difficulties as may be recited in the “OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION” or discussed elsewhere in the specification or which may otherwise exist or occur and are not specifically mentioned herein.
Clearly, such an apparatus (or system) would be useful and desirable.
2. Description of Prior Art
High heel shoes are, in general, known. The heels are attached in ways that are intended to permanently affix each heel to each of the shoes. While the structural arrangements of the known prior art types of devices may, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.